BRIEF SENTENCES OF THE CATECHISM, ACCORDING AS LUTHER USED TO TEACH AND INSTRUCT HIS FAMILY AT HOME.
Of the Ten Commandments of God.
As the Faith is, so is also God.
God stayeth not quite away, though he stayeth long.
Despair maketh Priests and Friars.
God careth and provideth for us, but we must labour.
God will have the heart only and alone.
Idolatry is the imagination of the heart.
God giveth by creatures.
God’s Word placeth before our eyes the world, to the end we may see what a fine spark it is.
God’s Word is our sanctification, and maketh everything happy.
Works of obedience must highly be regarded.
All that govern are called Fathers.
Shepherds of Souls are worthy of double honour.
Magistrates belong not to the fifth Commandment.
Wrath is forbidden in every man, except in the magistrates.
All occasions of death are forbidden.
Matrimony proceedeth freely in every state and calling.
Matrimony is necessary and commanded.
Matrimony forbidden and disallowed is against God’s command.
Matrimony is a blessed state, and pleasing to God.
To steal is what one taketh unjustly.
Unfaithfulness is also stealing.
Thieving is the most common trade in the world.
Great thieves go scot-free, as the Pope and his crew.
Falseness and covetousness prosper not.
Backbiting is meddling with God’s judgment.
Censuring, and to speak evil behind one’s back, belongeth only to the magistrates.
We must censure and reprove no man behind his back.
We must judge charitably in everything.
There are no good works without the Ten Commandments.
To fear God, and to trust in him, is the fulfilling of all the Commandments.
The first Commandment driveth on all the rest.
Of the Creed.
The Creed teacheth to know God, and what a God we have.
In all cases we must make use of faith.
God giveth himself unto us with all creatures.
We must always drive on the article of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Ghost bringeth Christ home unto us; he must reveal him.
Where the Holy Ghost preacheth not, there is no Church.
The works of the Holy Ghost are wrought continually.
Of the Lord’s Prayer.
To pray is to call upon God in all need, which is made precious through God’s command, and necessity stirreth up earnest and devout prayers, which are our weapons against the devil.
The devil, the world, and our flesh is against God’s Will.
The devil hindereth and destroyeth the daily bread and all the gifts of God.
God careth for our bodies daily.
No man can live in the world without sin.
No man can bring his own righteousness before God.
We must forgive, as God forgiveth us.
To forgive our neighbour, assureth us fully that God hath forgiven us.
We are tempted three manner of ways—of the devil, of the world, and of our flesh.
Temptations serve against the secureness of our flesh.
Temptations are not overcome through our own strength.
The devil would hinder all that we pray for.
The devil goeth about to bring us into all manner of need.
Of Baptism.
Faith is annexed to Baptism.
Faith must have before it some external thing.
Faith maketh the person worthy.
Baptism is not our work, but God’s.
Baptism is right, although no man believeth.
No man must build upon his faith.
Unbelief weakeneth not God’s Word.
Of the Lord’s Supper.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is of God’s ordaining.
The Word maketh a Sacrament.
Christ in the Sacrament is spiritual food for the soul.
Remission of sins is obtained only through the Word.
Faith receiveth the forgiveness of sins.
The Sacrament consisteth not in our worthiness.
Faith and human understanding are one against another.
Faith dependeth on the Word.
As we hold of Christ, even so we have him.
Faith is a Christian’s treasure.
The Gospel is the power of God.
Good Works.
Good works are nameless.
A Christian’s work standeth for the good of the neighbour.
Faith in Christ destroyeth sin.
The Holy Scriptures only give comfort, they forbid not good works.
Christ is a general good.
Christians do pray for and desire the last Day of Judgment.
The Church heareth none but Christ.
Christ is of a mean estate and small repute.
In adversities we should show ourselves like men, and pluck up good spirits.
Our whole life should be manly; we should fear God and put our trust in him.
Faith maketh us Christ’s heritage.
We should aim at celestial honour, and not regard the contemning of men.
Christ spareth us out of mere grace through the Word.
The Gospel is altogether joyful.
Grace condemneth all people’s own righteousness.
Salvation is purchased and given unto us without our deserts.
Regeneration is the work only of the Holy Ghost.
Human reason cannot comprehend nor understand the goodness and benefits of God.
Good works are the seals and proofs of faith; for, even as a letter must have a seal to strengthen the same, even so faith must have good works.
Faith hath regard to the Word, and not to the Preacher.
The Preacher and the Word are two Persons.
This natural life is a little piece of the life everlasting.
Own imaginations and conceits spoil all things.
The Gospel cometh of God, it showeth Christ, and requireth Faith.
The Gospel is a light in the world, which lighteneth mankind, and maketh children of God.
False Preachers are worse than deflowerers of virgins.
Righteousness is obtained through faith, and not through works. Works make faith strong.
A Preacher is made good through temptations.
A Prince is venison in heaven.
A person must be good before his works can be good.
We must not be dejected, but believe and pray.
No State or Calling is of any value to make one good before God.
Faith endureth no human traditions in the conscience.
The Saints oftentimes erred like men.
We must distinguish offices from the persons.
We hate punishment, but we love sin.
God preserveth the sanctified, yea, even in the midst of errors.
No great Saint lived without errors.
A Christian’s life consisteth of three points—of faith, love, and the cross.
We command a Christian in nothing, he is only admonished.
We must curb ourselves in our own wills and minds.
All revenge among Christians is taken away; they must grow up and increase in the fruits of the spirit, among which love is the greatest, for she goeth about with the people.
Human reason comprehendeth not, nor understandeth that Christ is our brother.
Christ is given unto us that believe with all his benefits and works.
Christ cometh unto us by preaching, so that he is in the midst of us.
Without the Cross we cannot attain to glory.
The Gospel cannot be truly preached without offence and tumult.
The Holy Ghost maketh one not instantly complete, but he must grow and increase.
We lose nothing by the Gospel, therefore we should venture thereupon all we have.
To believe the Gospel, delivereth from sins.
Works belong to the neighbour, faith to God.
Those that censure and judge others, condemn themselves.
Such as is the Faith, such is also the benefit.
To doubt is sin and everlasting death.
We know Christ when he himself is a schoolmaster in our hearts, and breaketh bread unto us.
God’s Word kindleth Faith in the heart.
Faith is to build certainly on God’s mercy.
Christ requireth no seeming godliness, no hypocrisy nor dissembling, but the godliness of the heart.
We are saved merely by grace and mercy, if we trust thereupon, but God must alter our hearts.
The Law is nothing but a looking-glass.
Christ carrieth us upon his back before his Father.
Love regardeth not unthankfulness.